Strip feeding mechanism for autographic register



W. E. OLIVER may M9 i955 STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM FOR AUTOGRAPHICREGISTER .5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 27, 1953 ....IIIIIII @y m, w55

w. E. OLIVER STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM FOR AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 27. 1953 W. E. OLIVER May M, W55

STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM FOR AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed April 27, 1953 3SheelZS-Shee 3 United States Patent O S'llill FEEDING MECHANISM FORAUTOGRAPHC REGISTER Walter 1E. Oliver, Quincy, Mass.

Application April Z7, 1953, Serial No. 351,340

S Claims. (Cl. 271-2.4)

This invention relates to autographic registers by which is meant amachine of the well-known type in which paper strips stored in theregister are advanced through successive, measured distances into andpast a writing position over a platen. In this writing position thestrips ordinarily cooperate with intercollated carbon paper permitting anumber of copies to be made simultaneously. The sections of strip thussuccessively brought to writing position are usually printed blankforms, or tickets as they are commonly called, and after one has beenfilled out the machine is operated to bring a second into writingposition while at least one or more of the inscribed tickets is fed to aposition exterior to the casing of the machine where they may be torn ofor cut off. In partisular these successive feeding movements may beeffected by movements of an external handle and it is desirable thatthis handle have an oscillatory or reciprocating stroke which in onephase thereof effects the movement of the strips. The movement should bean accurate one so that the various tickets will be separated at theproper lines of division. The present invention relates moreparticularly to a mechanism for transmitting the feeding movement fromsuch an oscillatory handle to the paper strips by a rugged, simple andfool-proof mechamsm.

ln the form of the invention shown the actual feed of the strips iseffected in known manner by means of pinwheels having teeth which entera series of openings along the margins of the strips.

My invention will be well understood by reference to the followingdescription of the illustrative embodiment thereof shown by Way ofexample in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an autographic register incorporating a feedingmechanism illustrative of the invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a section on linel 2 2' of Fig. l, the stationery strips beingomitted;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. l, but on a larger scale,showing the parts in the normal position of rest;

Fig. 4 shows parts in position for initiating a new feeding movement;

Fig. 5 shows the same parts after the incremental feeding movement iscompleted;

Fig. 6 shows the parts just after the actuating handle has returned toinitial position; and

Fig. 7 shows a fragmentary section on line 7-7 of Fig. 3 on a stilllarger scale.

Referring now to the drawings, I there show a register of the pinwheelfeed type in which the incremental feed of the strips is effected byoscillatory movements of a handle acting through a train of mechanism tothe pinwheels the construction of the train being illustrative of theinvention.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, theregister embodies a suitable casing iii in which the paper strips arestored and having an upper Surface or platen l2 over the rear end ofwhich, viewing V a 2,709,586 Ice Patented May' 31, 1955 Fig. l, thestrips of papers are drawn and over which they are advanced, and beyondwhich they are fed after inscription beneath an overhanging member 14,the leading edge of which forms a ledger blade for tearing off theinscribed tickets, leaving the following, uninscribed set in positionover the platen. For feeding the strips s the pinwheels lle project upthrough the platen at either side thereof, to engage the holes h in themargins of the paper strips as seen in Fig. l. The strips are omitted inFig. 2. Carbon sheets, not shown but stored in a compartment 18 lateralto the platen, may be drawn transversely across the latter andintercollated with the strips in well-known manner. In the constructionshown one turn of the pinwheels 16 serves to advance the strips onetickets length. The pinwheels 16 may be mounted on a common shaft 2hcarrying a pinion 22 meshing with a driving gear 24, which in theexample shown is four times the diameter of the pinion, and the drivinggear may be advanced in one direction by the means to be described byangular movement of an external, cranklike handle 26, through a strokeof approximately resulting in a complete rotation of pinion 22 and 'thepinwheels, and the feeding of one ticket length. Herein l have shown aspring pawl 28 which clatters over the teeth ot gear 24 as the ticketsare advanced but engages the teeth to prevent retrograde movement of thetickets.

in practice the user Stands or sits with the register before him in theposition of Fig. 1 and writes on the strips exposed over the platen withhis right hand. lhe handle 2b is at the left, and herein the feedingmovement of the strips is eifected by pulling back on the handle towardthe user, moving it from the position shown in Fig. 3, through a strokeof approximately 90 to the position illustrated in Fig. 5.

What has been so far described is not in itself essentially new and thelanguage might apply with perhaps minor changes to mechanisms of theprior art, the present invention being concerned more particularly withthe particular arrangement for transmitting the feeding stroke of thehandle crank to the pinwheel shaft, the stopping and locking of themechanism at the proper' times, and the arrangement providing for theautomatic return of the handle and the release of the locking mechanismfor a second feeding stroke when desired.

Herein, as best shown in Fig. 7, the gear 24 carries, as a part of asingle integral element, an indexing disc Sil and a ratchet wheel 32. Asseen in Fig. 3, the indexing disc 3i) has at suitable intervalsthereabout squaresided recesses 34 which are adapted to be entered bythe square-sided nose of a pivoted detent .36, positively to lock thedisc and the associated parts against movement in either direction. Thedetent is pivoted on a fixed center 36 and is provided with a tail 40acted on by a spring 42 which biases it toward the locking position. Therecesses 34 are so spaced from one another that a movement which carriessuccessive recesses opposite the detent corresponds to a movement of thestationery Strips for one ticket length. The teeth of ratchet wheel 32are similarly spaced. Thus, in the example shown one turn of pinwheel i6advances the strips one ticket length. The value of the gear train isone-quarter and'there are four recesses 34. lf the head of the ticket isdirectly under the edge of the ledger blade 14 when a feeding movementis commenced the head of the succeeding ticket will be therewhen thewheel and disc have :advanced for a distance between successive teethof` the former and successive recesses of the latter.

The parts are moved by a driver or pawl carrier 44, which is loose onthe shaft 46 on which the gear, disc and ratchet wheel are mounted, andthe handle 26 is rigid with this pawl carrier. The pawl carrier supportsa driving pawl 4h (the end of which appears substantially at the sevenoclock position in Fig. 3) which is springpressed toward the rachetwheel. The pawl carrier also has an arm provided with a bent-over endSti, see Fig. 7, the path of which is such that, when the pawl carrieris rotated, it engages the tail 40 of the detent 36 to rock. the detentagainst its spring 42 and so retract it. Also., at about the one oclockposition in Fig. 3, there is a catch 52 which will be more fullydescribed hereinafter.

The pawl carrier is acted on by a like extension spring 54 which tendsto return it with a counterclockwise rotation to the position of Fig. 3when it has been displaced to the position of Fig. 5. The points ofconnection ot the spring 54 are such that in Fig. 3 the spring actsapproXimately radially of the shaft 46 and exerts onl)I a slight turningmoment on the shaft, particularly as it is in that positionsubstantially relaxed. Thus any stored up energy remaining in it is noteffective to overcome the spring 42 and release the detent 36. In thisnormal rest position of the parts seen in Fig. 3 the driving pawl 4S isjust in advance of one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 32.

To operate the mechanism and cause feeding of the strips the handle 26is grasped and rocked counterclockwise for a short distance. The extentof this motion is preferably limited by means hereinafter described.This action overcomes the spring 42 and the arm 5i?, acting on the tail40 of the detent, frees the parts; the driving pawl 48 is moved back andis pressed by its spring into engagement with a tooth of the ratchetWheel 32 as seen in Fig. 4. The feed stroke is then effected by aclockwise movement of the handle, driving the parts through the pawl 48to the position of Fig. 5. When the detent 36 is released by the part 50in the beginning of this motion, its nose falls on the edge of theindexing disc 30 between the recesses 34 therein, and slides thereoveruntil the stroke is completed. To insure its entry in the followingrecess the stroke is limited and herein the end of pawl 48 strikes afixed stop, herein a screw 56, mounted in a bracket 5S and adjustablysecured by a lock nut 6G which is so positioned as to press the pawlinwardly toward the ratchet wheel and thus serve as a positive stopagainst further movement of the parts. in this position a recess 34 isopposite the nose of the detent pawl 36 which enters smoothly therein.

It would be possible to ease the handle 26 back from the position ofFig. 5 to the position of Fig. 3 wherein the cross arm 50 is just incontact with the tail 4i) of the detent. It is however desirable to beable to let go the handle and have it automatically returned by spring54.

The momentum of the parts on such a rapid return would t t be likely tocause release of the detent 36 and therefore means are provided to checkthe counterclockwise movement of the pawl carrier 44 and to bring it torest in the position of Fig. 3, this means going out of action after theparts have so been brought to rest. This function is performed by thecatch 52 which has previously been referred to in a general way.

The catch 52 is pivoted between its ends on an arm of the carrier andcan rest in two positions wherein it is supported against gravity ateither side of its pivot by a ange 62 on that arm, one position beingshown in Fig. 5 where the catch is below the horizontal, and another inFig. 3 where it is above. The center of gravity moves from about a tiveoclock position in Fig. 5 to about a one oclock position in Fig. 3. Aswill be apparent, the center of gravity is so related to the pivot thatthere is only a very slight turning moment tending to turn the catch tothe position of Fig. 3 until after the parts are well past the Vthreeoclock position. Now if the pawl carrier 44 was moving rapidly under theinfluence of the spring 54, the action of centrifugal force on the catchtends to swing it outwardly from the center and maintain it in the sameposition as in Fig. 5 as seen in Fig. 6. The end of the catch has twoshoulders, an inner shoulder 64 extending furthest in a counterclockwisedirection from its pivot, and

an outer shoulder 46 spaced rearwardly from the shoulder 64, if weconsider counterclockwise rotation to be a forward movement. When movingrapidly from the position of Fig. 5, and therefore under an influence ofsubstantial centrifugal force as it passes the horizontal, the catchwill remain in that position as it reaches the position of Fig. 6, andthe shoulder 64 will strike a fixed stop 68 and bring the carrier torest in the position there shown. The arm 50 has then reached the tail40 of the detent but does not strike it with sufficient force to releasethe latter, and the driving pawl 48 comes to rest just in advance of thenext tooth on the ratchet wheel. It will be noted however that the partsare not jammed in the position of Fig. 6. A slight bounce of the partspermits the catch to drop inwardly under gravity to the position of Fig.3.

When the handle 26 is grasped to start a new cycle, an initialcounterclockwise movement of the handle against the force of spring 42brings the shoulder 66 against the stop 68 and limits this movementwhich, however, is sutlicient to retract the detent and permit thedriving pawl 4% to drop into its wheel as seen in Fig. 4. The handle is,as it were, cocked and the pawl is ready to pick up the ratchet wheeland drive the mechanism when the handle is moved clockwise.

While the force required to cock the handle is not great the resistanceis sufficient to prevent casual and unintentional displacement of theparts. lf the handle is idly moved clockwise while the parts are in theposition of Fig. 3, the pawl 48 moves over the ratchet Wheel idly in thespace between successive teeth. This wheel and the other parts remainlocked by detent 36. Casual jiggling on the handle will be ineffectiveto move the paper forward.

A definite length of strip is fed on each cycle. The parts are stoppeddead and locked dead in that position Without possibility of overthrowor rebound. When a feeding movement is started it must be completed. Theuser cannot pump on the handle and feed the strips in that manner. Ifthe pawl is moved part way no feeding is effected, and if the handle isreturned either the resistance of the spring 42 or the shoulder 64 ofthe catch 52 will act to stop this reverse movement before the pawl 43can pick up another tooth.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and Itherefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in severalmatters from the description itself. Reference is to be had to theappended claims to indicate those principles of the inventionexemplified by the particular embodiment described and which I desire tosecure by Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. In a register of the type in which stationery strips are advanced bysuccessive steps of predetermined length into and past a Writingposition by successive oscillatory movements of an external handlehaving a driving connection with the feeding means, a driver moving withthe handle and a train of mechanism driven therefrom, the last elementof which train directly acts on the strips, and including a ratchetwheel and an indexing disc which move as one, the indexing disc havingrecesses spaced to correspond to advance of the strips through one suchstep and the ratchet wheel having similarly spaced teeth, a movablymounted positive locking detent for entering said recesses having atail, a spring for biasing the detent toward locking position, saiddriver carrying a pawl for cooperation with said ratchet wheel, an armmoving with the driver to engage the tail of the detent on returnmovement of the driver to a position wherein the pawl will engage atooth of the ratchet wheel for a second stroke and, consequently to suchengagement, to move the detent against its spring, a spring operativelyrelated to the driver to be stressed consequently to the movementthereof to its forward position and resiliently returning the driverfrom that position, which spring is substantially completely relaxedwhen the said arm engages the tail so that its remaining stored energyis in itself insuiricient to overcome the spring of the detent torelease the latter.

2. ln a register of the type in which stationary strips are advanced bysuccessive steps of predetermined length into and past a writingposition by successive oscillatory movements of an external handlehaving a driving connection with the feeding means, a drivermoving withthe handle and a train of mechanism driven therefrom, the last elementof which train directly acts on the strips, and including a ratchetwheel and an indexing disc which move as one, the indexing disc havingrecesses spaced to correspond to advance of the strips through one suchstep and the ratchet wheel having similarly spaced teeth, a movablymounted positive locking detent for entering said recesses having atail, a spring for biasing the detent toward locking position, saiddriver carrying a pawl for cooperation with said ratchet wheel, meansfor limiting the forward stroke of the driver comprising a fixed stopengaged by the pawl and acting to press the same toward the wheel, anarm moving with the driver to engage the tail of the detent on returnmovement of the driver to a position wherein the pawl will engage atooth of the ratchet wheel for a second stroke and, consequently to suchengagement, to move the detent against its spring, a spring operativelyrelated to the driver to be stressed consequently to the movementthereof to its forward position and resiliently returning the driverfrom that position, which spring is substantially completely relaxedwhen the said arm engages the tail so that its remaining stored energyis in itself insulcient to overcome the spring of the detent to releasethe latter.

3. in a register of the type in which stationery strips are advanced bysuccessive steps of predetermined length into and past a writingposition by successive oscillatory movements of an external handlehaving a driving connection with the feeding means, a driver moving withthe handle and a train of mechanism driven therefrom, the last elementof which train directly acts on the strips, and including a ratchetwheel and an indexing disc which move as one, the indexing disc havingrecesses spaced to correspond to advance of the strips through one suchstep and the ratchet wheel having similarly spaced teeth, a movablymounted positive locking detent for entering said recesses and biasedtoward locking position, said driver carrying a pawl for cooperatingwith the ratchet wheel, means for limiting the extremes of theoscillating stroke of the handle and driver, the index disc presentingat the limits one of its recesses to the detent, means moving with thedriver for retracting the detent when the driver comes to the extreme ofits rearward stroke, means for returning the handle when it is releasedon completion of its forward stroke and means responsive to such releasefor temporarily bringing it to rest before it reaches that extremeposition and retracts the detent.

4. in a register of the type in which stationery strips are advanced bysuccessive steps of predetermined length into and past a writingposition by successive oscillatory movements of an external handlehaving a driving connection with the feeding means, a driver moving withthe handle and a train of mechanism driven therefrom, the last elementof which train directly acts on the strips, and including a ratchetwheel and an indexing disc which move as one, the indexing disc havingrecesses spaced to correspond to advance of the strips through one suchstep and the ratchet wheel having similarly spaced teeth, a movablymounted positive locking detent for entering said recesses and biasedtoward locking position, said driver carrying a pawl for cooperatingwith the ratchet wheel, means for delimiting the oscillating stroke ofthe handle and driver, the index disc presenting at the limits one ofits recesses to the detent, means moving with the driver for retractingthe detent when the driver comes to the extreme of its rearward stroke,and means for bringing the parts temporarily to rest before the driverreaches that extreme position, which means goes out of action when theparts have been so brought to rest.

5. In a register of the type in which stationery strips are advanced bysuccessive steps of predetermined length into and past a writingposition by successive oscillatory movements of an external handlehaving a driving connection with the feeding means, a driver moving withthe handle and a train of mechanism driven therefrom, the last elementof which train directly acts on the strips, and including a ratchetwheel and an indexing disc which move as one, the indexing disc havingrecesses spaced to correspond to advance of the strips through one suchstep and the ratchet wheel having similarly spaced teeth, a positivelocking detent for entering said recesses and biased toward lockingposition, said driver carrying a pawl for cooperating with the ratchetwheel, means for returning the handle when it is released on completionof the forward stroke, means to retract the detent actuated by themovement of the driver to a position for engaging the pawl for a secondstroke, and means responsive to centrifugal force of the driver forchecking such return movement before such position is reached.

6. In a register of the type in which stationery strips are advanced bysuccessive steps of predetermined length into and past a writingposition by successive oscillatory movements of an external handlehaving a driving connection with the feeding means, a driver moving withthe handle and a train of mechanism driven therefrom, the last elementof which train directly acts on the strips, and including a ratchetwheel and an indexing disc which move as one, the indexing disc havingrecesses spaced to correspond to advance of the strips through one suchstep and the ratchet wheel having similarly spaced teeth, a positivelocking detent for entering said recesses and biased toward lockingposition, said driver carrying a pawl for cooperating with the ratchetwheel, means for returning the handle when it is released on the forwardstroke, means to retract the detent actuated by movement of the driverto a position for engaging the pawl for a second stroke, and a pivotedcatch on the driver responsive to gravity and centrifugal force andhaving a shoulder', a fixed stop in the path of said shoulder when it isswung outwardly to check such return movement before such position isreached.

7. In a register of the type in which stationery strips are advanced bysuccessive steps of predetermined length into and past a writingposition by successive oscillatory movements of an external handlehaving a driving connection with the feeding means, a driver moving withthe handle and a train of mechanism driven therefrom, the last elementof which train directly acts on the strips, and including a ratchetWheel and an indexing disc which move as one, the indexing disc havingrecesses spaced to correspond to advance of the strips through one suchstep and the ratchet wheel having similarly spaced teeth, a positivelocking detent for entering said recesses and biased toward lockingposition, said driver carrying a pawl for cooperating with the ratchetwheel, means for returning the handle when it is released on the forwardstroke, means to retract the detent actuated hy movement of the driverto a position for engaging the pawl for a second stroke, and a pivotedcatch on the driver responsive to gravity and centrifugal force having ashoulder, a fixed stop in the path of said shoulder when it is swungoutwardly to check such return movement before such position is reached,the catch having a second shoulder, which when the catch is positionedinwardly, cooperates with the stop to limit return movement of thedriver substantially in such position of engagement.

8. ln a register of the type in which stationery strips are advanced bysuccessive steps of predetermined length into and past a writingposition by successive oscillatory movements of an external handlehaving a driving connection with the feeding means, a driver moving withthe handle and a train of mechanism driven therefrom, the last elementof which train directly acts on the strips, and including a ratchetWheel and an indexing disc which move as one, the indexing disc havingrecesses spaced to correspond to advance of the strips through one suchstep and the ratchet Wheel having similarly spaced teeth, a positivelocking detent for entering said recesses and biased toward lockingposition, said driver carrying a pawl for cooperating with the ratchetwheel, means for rapidly returning the driver on release of the handleafter completion of the feeding stroke, means moving with the driver toretract the detent when the pawl engages a tooth of the ratchet Wheelfor a second stroke, and means for checking the driver before it reachesthe position wherein the detent is retracted, which means goes out ofaction when Vthe parts have come to rest to permit intentional furtherretraction of the handle to engage the pawl and release the detent.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,788,949Gnlnwald Jan. 13, 1931 2,219,299 Dawson Oct. 29, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS801,728 France May 23, 1936

